Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Anthony David Diehlman (41, Ocala) to six years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Diehlman had pleaded guilty on July 9, 2019.

According to court documents, on March 8, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Diehlman’s Ocala residence as part of an investigation into illegal drug distribution. Inside the home, agents recovered more than 100 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, four loaded firearms, ammunition, and a taser. Three of the firearms were locked in a safe, along with Diehlman’s lease for the residence, identification documents, and cash. Following his arrest, Diehlman made a call describing the exact location of a hidden AR-15 rifle.

Diehlman is a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. He had posted photographs of himself with the recovered firearms on social media prior to the search warrant.

This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

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